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Utterback Middle School now a 'B' school

How they moved from an "F" to a "B" within four years

How the school went from a F to a B school letter grade within four years.

By: Reyna Preciado

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Arizona State Board of Education released their School Letter Grade Report for last school year. Utterback Middle School is celebrating a “B”. In 2018, they were an “F” school, and last year they were a “D” school.

From the outside, Utterback Middle School looks like it’s been neglected.

But the inside of the school tells a different story.

At the heart of the school is Taranika Sanders. She started as principal in 2018. Utterback was an “F” school at the time. She had just moved from Chicago, where her students faced violence everyday.

“I fell in love immediately with Utterback. And I think it’s through those experiences my vision for Utterback became very clear,” said Sanders.

And love is a huge part of her vision.

“Love is the vehicle for our success. I knew I would have to find humans to teach our kids, despite our perceived flaws,” she said.

She said over the past few years the school lost funding due to a decrease in enrollment and losing their Magnet Program. But her staff, school partners, and art program helped push forward to go from a “D” school to a “B” school within one year.

Parent Eva Placencio moved her daughters to Utterback after experiencing racism at another school.

“I get emotional because I would've never thought that a school, which was supposed to be a very good school, would treat my children this way. But then I let them come to Utterback. And they have been treated with love, respect. And now my seventh grader in all honors classes,” said Placencio.

Principal Sanders said the “B” stands for “Believe in Us.” She hopes more families will want to join the Utterback community.

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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.

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